Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice pulls in $27 million during preview night

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has officially beaten both The Dark Knight and Marvel's Avengers movies at the Thursday night box office.

The film, which marks Zack Snyder's second installment in Warner Bros.' new cinematic universe, opened to $27.7 million at the domestic box office on Thursday night. Last year's Avengers: Age of Ultron was the previous superhero movie record-holder, pulling in $27.6 million during its Thursday night preview screenings. The film also beat Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, which made $18.5 million during its preview night. The all-time record for Thursday night screenings, however, belongs to Disney's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which made $57 million.

According to analysts, Batman v Superman is on track to make more than $160 million during its opening weekend, despite the negative reviews the film has received. The film has already grossed an additional $7 million overseas, and is situated to make huge waves in the international market.

Since reviews for the film have come out, the cast has offered their opinions on what that could mean for the success of Batman v Superman. Snyder, who has come under criticism time and time again for his films, said he was proud of the film, adding that the reception from critics, "is what it is."

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently playing in theaters.